Copeland

Copeland's population grew older in the decade leading up to the most recent census. At the same time there were changes in religion, health and marriage.

The population reached nearly 71,000

Between the last two censuses, the population of Copeland increased by 1.9%, from just over 69,300 to 70,600.

The addition of almost 1,300 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Copeland was home to, on average, 0.69 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was lower than the average across the North West

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the North West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Copeland

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Copeland increased by five years, from 39 to 44 years.

This industrial area had a higher average age than the North West and remained older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just under 1,900 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 3,000.

About 13% of people in Copeland are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Copeland by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

Private renting increased in Copeland, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas across England, except Isles of Scilly.

Across the North West, the proportion of privately rented homes increased from 8.5% to 15% between the last two censuses, while the proportion in Barrow-in-Furness (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Copeland) increased from 9.5% to 14%.

In 2011, just under 1 in 11 (8.7%) households in Copeland rented privately, compared with 6.7% in 2001. The percentage of socially rented homes decreased from 23% to 19%.

England's largest decrease in the proportion of privately rented homes occurred in Isles of Scilly (from 32% to 30%).

Because of its small size, comparisons to Isles of Scilly should be made with caution.

Private renting in Copeland increased by 2 percentage points

Percentage of households in Copeland, the North West and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing work life

Copeland saw England's largest fall in the proportion of unemployed people.

In 2011, just over 1 in 25 (4.2%) people aged 16 to 74 in Copeland said they were unemployed, compared with 5.0% in 2001. The percentage that were employed increased from 50% to 54%.

Wolverhampton saw England's next largest rise in the proportion of unemployed people (from 5.3% to 7.9%).

The rate of unemployment was lower than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were unemployed across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Copeland working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 8.9% to 7.2% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 50 (2.1%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.4% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a slower rate here than the figure for the whole of the North West (from 11% in 2001 to 8.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13% to 10%.

Long hour working in Copeland decreased by 1.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Copeland, the North West and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Copeland

The number of people in Copeland that described themselves as Christian decreased from about 60,000 in 2001 to about 56,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 86% to 79% of the local population.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across the North West (from 78% to 67%) and the average across England (from 72% to 59%).

The number of people in Copeland that described themselves as having no religion increased from about 4,900 in 2001 to just over 10,000 in 2011 (from 7.0% to 14%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation decreased from about 4,300 to just over 4,100 (from 6.2% to 5.9%).

About 230 people (0.2%) said they were Muslim, up from about 130 in 2001 (0.3%).

The population who identified as Christian in Copeland decreased by 7.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Copeland by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Copeland

The percentage of Copeland residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 6.6% to 6.7% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under 1 in 20 (4.7%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 3.8% in 2001. The percentage of Copeland residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 90% to 89%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 7.0% in 2001 to 6.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 6.8% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Copeland residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 10% to 6.8% between the last two censuses.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 8 in 10 (78%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 67% in 2001. The percentage of Copeland residents that described their health as fair decreased from 23% to 15%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 11% in 2001 to 6.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Copeland decreased by 3.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Copeland, the North West and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Copeland

The percentage of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased in Copeland, but at a slower rate than in nearby Barrow-in-Furness.

In Copeland, the proportion of single people increased from 27% in 2001 to 30% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Barrow-in-Furness increased from 26% to 31%.

Across the North West, the share of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased from 30% to 36%.

The proportion of married people in Copeland fell from 54% to 51%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 10% to 11%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Fewer homes with children

The percentage of households with children fell in Copeland at a faster rate than across England.

In Copeland, the proportion of households with children decreased from 29% in 2001 to 27% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion across England decreased from 30% to 29%.

Across the North West, the share of households with children decreased from 30% to 29%.

The proportion of households without children in Copeland increased from 60% to 63%, while the proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents increased from 10% to 11%.

The proportion of households with children was lower than across the North West

Percentage of households with at least one dependent child across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in Copeland, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 6.9% to 9.4% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

The percentage that had only one person remained close to 30%, while the percentage of households in Copeland which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 39% to 37%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 7.9% in 2001 to 9.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.3% to 9.9%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Copeland increased by 2.5 percentage points

Percentage of households in Copeland, the North West and England that had an unmarried couple, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Copeland

The number of people in Copeland from the White ethnic groups remained close to just over 69,000 between the last two censuses. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 99% to 98%.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across the North West (from 94% to 90%) and the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Copeland from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from just over 210 in 2001 to just under 630 in 2011 (from 0.3% to 0.9%). The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from just over 180 to just under 340 (from 0.3% to 0.5%).

About 84 people (0.1%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from about 40 in 2001 (0.1%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in Copeland remained close to 98%

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Copeland by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Copeland residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 2.5% to 3.0% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, 1.7% of reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 1.4% in 2001.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 2.4% in 2001 to 2.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Copeland remained close to 3.0%

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Copeland by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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